Shux 1st Indian to hold experiment on ISS, kicks off with muscle loss study | India News

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla (Shux) kicked off Saturday a new space first by becoming the first Indian citizen to conduct a scientific experiment on the International Space Station (ISS).With microgravity acclimation behind him, Shux is now diving into a diverse portfolio of experiments that could shape the future. On Saturday, he kicked off the scientific phase of the mission by starting on a cutting-edge biology study investigating muscle loss in microgravity, Axiom Space confirmed.“The crew is now fully immersed in their mission aboard the ISS, wrapping up their second day on orbit with a schedule full of scientific research and international outreach. They have transitioned smoothly from arrival protocols to hands-on research,” the firm said.Shux’s experiment — Myogenesis — was conducted inside the Life Sciences Glovebox. It will investigate the biological pathways behind skeletal muscle degradation in microgravity, one of the most critical challenges facing long-duration spaceflight. The findings could help develop targeted therapies for astronauts on future Moon or Mars missions and for patients on Earth suffering from muscular degenerative diseases.Although Indian-built payloads have flown and delivered data for decades, this is the first time an Indian has directly performed experiments on the ISS. Shux’s photograph from the Life Sciences Glovebox is expected to be made public.Shux’s work is part of a broad suite of international experiments now under way on Ax-4. The other three members — Commander Peggy Whitson, and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski (Suave) and Tibor Kapu — have entered into full-time research mode.